Chapter 38: Hajime Becomes an XXX
The mercantile city-state of Fuhren. A place where people, goods, and ambitions all
mixed together to form the largest trading center in the world. Today too, it was
bustling with activity. One could hear the clamor of the city a good distance away from
the walls, even.
A long line of adventurers, merchants, and tourists snaked out from the main gate.
They were all waiting their turn for Fuhren's trademark inspection. Some lounged
about lazily, while others tapped their feet impatiently.
At the very end of the line stood a man who was dressed rather ostentatiously. Next to
him were two women outfitted in equally flashy garb, presumably his servants.
Though he didn't seem too impatient, he was complaining incessantly about the
necessity of the inspection.
He was the kind of fool who thought spouting large words made him seem smarter.
He went on at length about the incompetency of the Fuhren government. The nearby
merchants struggled to hold in their derisive laughter, but the man and his two female
attendants seemed not to notice.
In the middle of his tirade, the gaudily-dressed man began to hear a high-pitched
noise, one he had never heard before. It sounded like steam hissing out of a pipe.
At first he tried to ignore it and continued droning on to his two servants, but they,
along with the other merchants, ignored him. Their eyes were fixated on something
behind him. Giving up once the sound grew louder, the man let out a harrumph and
turned to see what all the fuss was about.
The man let out a squeal of surprise. An unfamiliar black box-shaped object was
heading for the city at an incredible speed, kicking up clouds of dust in its wake.
A commotion broke out among the waiting travelers. Many turned to run, thinking it
was a monster, but the black box was far faster than any of them could have ever
predicted. Before they'd gone a single step, it was already upon them.
The gaudily-dressed man stiffened up in fear. Despair colored the travelers' faces.
However, just before the box crashed into the line, it turned to its side and came to an
abrupt stop. The force of its deceleration caused it to kick up a massive cloud of dust.
As the travelers all stared at Brise in wonderment and confusion, its front door
opened.
"Man, this line is always so damn long."
"…Yeah. What can you do, though?" Hajime and Yue stepped out of the car, heedless of
the fear and confusion they'd caused. Shea and Tio followed after, with Will Cudeta
coming out last. Will's expression seemed somewhat stiff.
A few days back, the head of Fuhren's adventurer's guild, Ilwa Chang, had asked
Hajime and his party to go to the northern mountain ranges and search for Will. They
had accepted, finding Will alive in the process. After protecting him from the wrath of
a mind-controlled Tio, they'd safely brought him back home.
Will bowed uncharacteristically low for a noble and apologized for startling all of the
people waiting in line. However, he realized quickly that no one was paying any
attention to him.
Everyone's gazes were focused on the three beautiful ladies. The fact that they'd just
come out of a speeding black box was of little importance. The men only had eyes for
them now. Every time they so much as moved, sighs of appreciation rang out among
the crowd.
Hajime sat down on Brise's hood and studied the line.
"Probably gonna take another hour, it looks like," he said as he narrowed his eyes.
Sitting in the car for so long had left Hajime a little stiff, so he started stretching along
with Yue and the others. There was still a lot of time until they got in, so he might as
well relax, he thought.
Brise was operated via the direct application of mana, so he could control it without
actually sitting in the driver's seat. Of course, his control wasn't nearly as precise as
when he was behind the wheel, but he could still move it forward slowly as the line
progressed.
He cracked his neck from side to side, loosening up. Yue sat down behind him and
massaged his shoulders. Smiling, Hajime leaned back into Yue.
Shea's rabbit ears drooped a little. Feeling left out, she clambered up the hood and sat
down next to Hajime.
"Allow me to join you as well!" Tio proclaimed. She climbed to Hajime's other side and
attempted to press her breasts against his arm. However, a slap from Hajime sent her
sprawling. Though, the way she moaned as he slapped her implied she'd enjoyed it.
He'd hit her hard enough that she'd spun around a few times, but… for the masochistic
Tio, there was no greater reward.
Hajime scowled as she panted excitedly at his feet. Smiling awkwardly, Shea asked him
the foremost question on his mind.
"Umm, Hajime-san? Was it really alright to drive all the way here in Brise? I thought
you wanted to hide your abilities…"
"It's a bit late for that now. We broadcast them to a whole village already. I guarantee
you everywhere but the sticks will have heard of us in a week. Besides, I expected this
day would come eventually. Though, I was hoping it wouldn't happen so soon."
"Yeah. No need for caution now." Hajime shrugged his shoulders. Until recently, he'd
been willing to suffer a little inconvenience if it saved him trouble down the line.
However, after the battle at Ur, he had no doubt tales of his wondrous artifacts would
spread throughout the kingdom in no time. Since his cover had already been blown,
there was no reason for him to hide his abilities or equipment anymore.
"Hmm, I guess you're right. There's no stopping the Holy Church or Heiligh from
pressuring us now. I just wonder if Aiko-san and Ilwa-san will be willing to help us…"
"Well, the thing with Sensei and Ilwa was just extra insurance. It'd be nice if it pans
out, but there's no big loss if it doesn't. From the start, I was ready to fight the entire
world if it came down to it. We'll mow down anything in our way. That's all there is to
it, Shea. You don't have to go around pretending to be my slave now, either. You can
take the collar off if you want."
They really had just been extra countermeasures. Hajime wasn't too concerned with
whether or not they'd really end up helping him when it came down to it.
Hajime gently rapped on Shea's fake slave collar as he spoke. Shea was strong enough
to beat down anyone who tried to mess with her, so there was no reason not to let her
walk around as their equal anymore. To Hajime's surprise though, Shea gently touched
her collar and shook her head.
"It's fine, I don't mind staying like this. It is still technically the first thing you ever gave
me, Hajime-san… and it's proof that I belong to you. Besides, I've actually started to
like wearing it so… I'll keep it on." A faint blush spread up her cheeks. Her bunny ears
were twitching in embarrassment too. Even Hajime had to admit the way she looked
down shyly was cute. Many of the men standing close enough to hear their
conversation had already been overcome with nosebleeds.
"I see. Gotta at least make it look nicer, though."
"H-Hajime-san?" Hajime gently lifted Shea's chin up. Her face was completely flushed
now. Around them, the men's nosebleeds had turned the ground into a river of blood.
Hajime pulled a set of dazzling jewels from his Treasure Trove and transmuted them
onto Shea's collar. Furthermore, he rearranged the gems already on there. Shea's collar
had served the purpose of making it look like she was Hajime's slave, so he hadn't
spent much time on its initial design. Because of that it had come out looking rather
plain. It had just been to avoid trouble after all.
However, if Shea was going to keep wearing it because she liked it, Hajime felt it
deserved an upgrade in the looks department too. That was why he retailored it to suit
her appearance more.
Her new collar had white and blue ornaments adorning the simple black fabric.
Furthermore, he had transmuted a fragment of his now spent Divinity Stone into a
luminous sky blue cross, and transfixed it to the front of her collar. It now resembled
a fashionable choker from his old world. No one would think it was a simple collar
meant to identify a slave.
Hajime nodded in satisfaction. Shea had lost herself in the sensation of Hajime's
fingers on her neck, but she snapped back to herself when he handed her a mirror. She
excitedly looked at her neck. The beautiful choker was a huge improvement from her
old collar. It seemed the color of the cross was the same as her eyes.
"Wow~ This is the first time I've ever had something so pretty." Shea beamed happily
as she played with the tiny cross. Until recently, Shea had never left her village, much
less the sea of trees. She had never owned fancy things like jewelry. Of course, that
didn't mean she hadn't liked them. She'd always been jealous of the girls she'd seen in
Verbergen. The ones rich enough to afford the scant amount of gems that could be
found in the sea of trees.
And now she finally had jewelry like that of her own. She was ecstatic. Doubly so
because it had been gifted to her by the boy she loved. Her bunny ears hopped up and
down with joy.
"Thank you so much, Hajime-saaan!" She hugged his arm and buried her head in his
chest with a smile. Her ears rubbed against him and her tail twitched happily.
Hajime simply shrugged his shoulders while Yue sidled up, smiling faintly, and started
patting Shea's head. When Tio tried to do the same, Hajime slapped her away.
The sight of them all flirting brought the onlookers to their senses, and they looked at
the party with a mixture of emotions clouding their faces.
The girls all sighed, admiring Yue, Shea, and Tio's stellar looks. They didn't even have
it in them to be jealous. Meanwhile, the guys were split between being entranced by
Yue and the others, extremely jealous of Hajime, or fascinated by his artifacts and
looking to see how much they could potentially make off them.
None of them had tried approaching him yet, though. The merchants would have
walked up to him, but they were too busy keeping each other in check while waiting
for the perfect opportunity to give the others the slip and approach Hajime first.
The gaudily-dressed man was comparing his own girls to Yue and Shea, and was
clearly displeased. He then attempted something that could only be called rash.
"Hey, you two. Would you be interested in—"
"Get your filthy hands off her, scum." He'd completely ignored Hajime and walked up
to Yue and the others. If all he'd done was talk to them, then Hajime would have just
activated his Intimidation and made the guy faint. However, he'd gone one step too far,
and tried to cup Shea's cheek.
Though his outfit was needlessly ostentatious, he was actually a rather handsome
man. His confidence in his looks had given him the mistaken belief that any woman
would swoon before him as long as he walked up to her and said some pretty words.
Shea glared coldly at the man and made to swat his hand away, but before she could,
Hajime grabbed the man's head in a vice grip. If looks could kill, the man would already
be dead.
"Hiii!?" The man shrank back, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips. Hajime lifted him
up and threw him as far as he could toward the town. He landed on the ground a good
thirty meters away. He fell face-first, sliding across the ground for a good ten meters.
Then, he did a headstand for a few seconds before flopping to the ground.
He stayed there in a cloud of dust, unmoving. Everyone's gazes went from the man,
who had just flown an unbelievable distance, to Hajime, their jaws hanging open in
shock. The man's two female servants gave Hajime one last fearful look before running
away screaming. Hajime gazed at the gathered onlookers with a stare that could freeze
hell over.
The merchants who had a second ago been trying to stop each other from being the
first were now eagerly pushing their fellow traders forward instead. Hajime's gaze
promised the same for anyone else who tried anything.
When he saw no one else came forward, he smiled in satisfaction and returned to
ignoring the crowd.
"Hawawa, Hajime-san got mad for my sake. Have his feelings toward me started
growing? Just a bit more and we'll finally be real lovers!"
"Shea, good luck."
"Yue-san… thank you. I'll do my best!"
"Hmm, despite what he says, he truly seems to cherish you. Master, when will you start
cherishing me so? I would love it if you could throw me like that man."
Shea clapped her hands over her cheeks and squirmed with happiness. In truth,
Hajime just hadn't been able to stand how the guy had walked around as if he owned
everyone and everything. Though it was also true that he held Shea dear, so he couldn't
exactly deny what Tio had said either.
As an aside, when Tio expressed her desire to be thrown as well, Hajime simply
slapped her again. She fell to the ground, moaning in ecstasy again. Hajime glared at
her, but that only made her more excited. Giving up, he sighed dramatically and
decided to ignore her. Will alone sat in the back of the truck, hugging his knees. He was
trying his best to pretend like he had nothing to do with the group up front. Just then,
a huge commotion broke out at the front of the line.
Hajime looked over, spotting the gate guards heading this way. They'd probably
spotted the earlier altercation and had come to see what had happened. Or maybe
they'd just seen the man lying on the ground and wanted to find out what had
occurred.
Three men in armor had ridden out on horses and were questioning the nearby
merchants as they made their way toward Hajime. One of the merchants pointed to
Hajime, then to the man lying on the ground. Then, one guard barked out orders and
rode over to the collapsed man. The other two headed toward Hajime and the others,
who were still flirting on top of Brise's hood. Their gazes hardened. Not because that
was their duty as guards… but because they were jealous.
"Hey, you! What's all this commotion about!? And what's that black box thing!? Explain
yourself!" Though he was addressing Hajime, his gaze kept shifting over to Yue, so he
didn't really sound as intimidating as he intended. Hajime had expected this, so he
answered without hesitation.
"This is my artifact. It's a vehicle that can move without horses. As for that guy… he
tried to lay a hand on my companion, so I sent him flying. He was trying to rape her.
Can you believe it? Look at how scared she is now… Honorable guard, surely you don't
mean to take the side of that rapist. Me and my friends would never feel safe coming
into Fuhren, knowing that the law protects criminals like him… You understand,
right?" Hajime spun his tale without batting an eyelid. Shea was clinging to Hajime,
and depending on how one interpreted it, it could have looked like she was terrified.
Will glared at Hajime from the back.
"Silver-tongued devil," he muttered. However, Hajime ignored him. The nearby
merchants all whispered things like "Rape her? He barely even said anything before
he got sent flying," or "She doesn't look very scared to me. In fact, she looks pretty
happy," but Hajime ignored them too. After all, between a man dressed in tacky clothes
and a group of beautiful girls, it was obvious who the guards were going to believe.
"Why, that's terrible," one of the guards exclaimed, without even bothering to verify
the truth of Hajime's statement. However, the other guard tilted his neck and
examined Hajime. Suddenly, a look of realization passed over him and he started
whispering to the other guard.
"Come to think of it, you're right," the other guard muttered, as he looked over Hajime.
"Could you three be Hajime, Yue, and Shea?"
"Hm? Yeah, we are, but…"
"I see. Does that mean you've returned from the quest the branch chief sent you on?"
"Yeah, that's right… Do you have some kind of message from him or something?"
The guards nodded. They'd been informed by Ilwa to let Hajime's party through right
away. Thanks to that, Hajime wouldn't have to wait in line. He started up Brise and
followed after the guards. The rest of the travelers watched with curiosity as Hajime
rode into Fuhren for the second time.
Once they were inside, the group headed straight for the adventurers guild.
They were let into the same waiting room as last time. There, they greedily devoured
the tea and cakes they were offered while they waited. Five minutes later the door
slammed open and Ilwa Chang stepped into the room.
"Will, are you alright!? You're not hurt, are you!?" There was none of the calm
composure he'd had last time. Without even greeting anyone, he dashed toward Will,
fretting over his safety. He must have been really worried.
"Ilwa-san… I'm sorry. Because I insisted on going, I ended up causing you so much
trouble…"
"What are you saying? It's my fault for recommending such a dangerous request to
you… I'm so glad you made it back safely. I don't know how I'd face Greil and Saria if
something had happened to you. They were both worried about you too. You should
go let them know you're safe. I've already told them you're alive. They're here in
Fuhren right now."
"Father and Mom are… I understand. I'll go there immediately."
Ilwa told Will where they were staying and urged him to see them at once. Will
expressed his thanks to Ilwa for setting up a search party, promised Hajime he'd
properly repay him later, and left the room. Hajime would have been fine at leaving
things there, but Will insisted that he owed him.
Once Will left, Ilwa focused his attention on Hajime. He smiled and bowed his head
low.
"Hajime-kun, thank you so much for finding Will. I honestly did not believe I would
see him alive again. I cannot express how grateful I am that you brought him back
alive."
"It was his own luck that let him survive for that long."
"Hohoho, is that really so? I suppose that did play a part in it, but… I heard you also
defended him from an army of monsters. Isn't that right, Sir Goddess' Knight?" Ilwa
grinned mischievously as he spoke the nickname Hajime had been given in Ur.
Hajime's expression stiffened. It looked like information between guild branches
traveled even faster than Brise.
"So you found out already, huh?"
"Most of the guild's higher-ups have an artifact that allows them to communicate with
each other over long distances. Ur's branch chief isn't ranked high enough to have one,
so I'd actually sent one of my subordinates there to relay information to me. The first
time I'd ever heard him cry was when he tearfully reported how he'd lost sight of you
a few minutes after you'd left Fuhren." Ilwa smiled wryly. It seemed whoever he'd sent
to Ur had wanted to tail Hajime to learn his secrets.
Whether that had been on Ilwa's instructions, or his own decision, he must have been
quite frustrated that he'd lost sight of Hajime so soon. Then, after riding to Ur as fast
as he could, he'd seen four people face off against an army of sixty thousand. Moments
after that was over, he'd probably raced out of town to head back as fast as he could.
He was probably riding to Fuhren as they spoke… Hajime couldn't help but sympathize
with the guy a little.
Regardless of whether this artifact was a communication device, or some kind of
scrying tool, Hajime had no intention of blaming Ilwa for sending someone after him.
In fact, he was relieved the man he'd scouted as an ally was this cunning.
Ilwa cleared his throat and put the subject of his spy's trials and tribulations to the
side.
"Regardless, it must have been tough. To think the anomalies in the northern
mountains had been the signs of such a disaster… I'm doubly grateful you chose to take
this request. I'm truly interested in what power you must possess to be able to
eliminate such an enormous army so easily… Would you mind telling me what
happened there first?"
"Sure, I don't mind. But could you get Yue and Shea their status plates first? As for
Tio—"
"I see… You plan to show this man their stats. Very well. If that is your decision, Master,
then may I be granted a plate as well?"
"Well, you heard her."
"I suppose seeing all of your stats will lend some credibility to the story that you
annihilated an army of monsters… Very well." Ilwa could tell there was something
special to Hajime and his party, even the newly added Tio. And so, he called over an
attendant and had them bring three new status plates.
Yue and the others stats were as follows:
Yue Age: 323 Female Level: 75
Job: Divine Priestess
Strength: 120
Vitality: 300
Defense: 60
Agility: 120
Magic: 6980
Magic Defense: 7120
Skills: Automatic Regeneration [+Pain Dampener] — All Elemental Affinity — Spell
Melding — Mana Manipulation [+Mana Emission] [+Mana Compression] [+Remote
Manipulation] [+Increased Efficiency] [+Ether Absorption] — Image Composition
[+Increased Imagination] [+Multiple Spell Image Composition] [+Delayed Casting] —
Blood Conversion [+Body Strengthening] [+Mana Conversion] [+Stamina Conversion]
[+Mana Strengthening] [+Blood Oath] — High Speed Mana Recovery — Creation
Magic — Gravity Magic
*Image Composition allows the wielder to use imagined magic circles in lieu of real
ones. Blood Oath increases the effectiveness of bloodsucking abilities when the blood
being sucked belongs to the contracted.
Shea Haulia Age: 16 Female Level: 40
Job: Diviner
Strength: 60 [Max 6100]
Vitality: 80 [Max 6120]
Defense: 60 [Max 6100]
Agility: 85 [Max 6125]
Magic: 3020
Magic Defense: 3180
Skills: Future Sight [+Automatic Activation] [+Branching Paths] — Mana Manipulation
[+Body Strengthening] [+Partial Strengthening] [+Conversion Efficiency II]
[+Increased Concentration] — Gravity Magic
*Conversion Efficiency II allows one point of mana to increase two points worth of
stats.
Tio Klarus Age: 563 Female Level: 89
Job: Guardian
Strength: 770 [+4620 while in dragon form]
Vitality: 1100 [+6600 while in dragon form]
Defense: 1100 [+6600 while in dragon form]
Agility: 580 [+3480 while in dragon form]
Magic: 4590
Magic Defense: 4220
Skills: Draconification [+Dragon Scales] [+Mana Efficiency Up] [+Physical Stats
Increase] [+Draconic Roar II] [+Wind Veil] [+Pain Conversion] — Mana Manipulation
[+Mana Emission] [+Mana Compression] — Fire Resistance [+Decreased Mana
Consumption] [+Increased Efficiency] [+Increased Duration] — Wind Resistance
[+Decreased Mana Consumption] [+Increased Efficiency] [+Increased Duration] —
Spell Melding
*Draconic Roar II allows the wielder to use their dragonbreath while outside of dragon
form. Wind Veil wraps the wielder in an armor of wind while draconified, aiding in
their flight speed. Pain Conversion is a truly wonderful skill. It's proof the wielder has
opened the door to a new world. Come, partake of this wonderful sensation!
Though they weren't quite as broken as Hajime, each of them were strong enough to
take on the rest of Hajime's cheat-level classmates all at once. All of their best stats
were so high that even Kouki with Limit Break wouldn't have been able to match up
to them. Naturally, most combat jobs wouldn't even come close to their level of
strength.
And that was just their stats. Their unique skills and abilities had left Ilwa completely
speechless.
It was hardly surprising. Skills such as Blood Conversion and Draconification belonged
to races that had supposedly gone extinct centuries ago. Furthermore, they were races
that, according to the Holy Church, had betrayed the gods centuries past.
And while Shea didn't belong to a heretical race like Yue and Tio, her stats and abilities
were completely abnormal for her species.
"My word… I had expected to see something out of the ordinary, but not this out of the
ordinary…" Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his usual smile was conspicuously
absent. Unconcerned, Hajime began explaining what had happened at Ur. Normally,
Ilwa would have laughed such a story off as impossible, but he had no choice but to
believe Hajime after seeing their stats and skills.
Once Hajime finished talking, Ilwa crumpled into the sofa, looking like he'd aged a
decade.
"No wonder you caught Master Catherine's attention. I had assumed you were one of
the summoned heroes, Hajime-kun, but… this is far beyond my expectations."
"So, what are you gonna do? Report us to the Holy Church for being heretics?"
Ilwa hurriedly straightened up under Hajime's piercing gaze.
"That's a good joke. I couldn't even if I wanted to. Turning you into my enemy would
spell disaster not just for me, but likely for the entire guild. Besides, what kind of
monster do you think I am? You lot are my saviors. I'll never forget that, not for the
rest of my life."
"I see. Then we're good." Hajime shrugged, as if apologizing for testing Ilwa. He
gestured his thanks. Ilwa smiled and nodded in response.
"As promised, I'll do everything in my power to support you. Both as a manager of the
guild, and as an individual. Though, after that little display of might, I doubt the higherups will be in any hurry to go after you. In order to make this easier for us, we'll make
your adventurer rank gold as well. Normally there's a lot of silly ceremonies and
formalities that accompany a promotion to gold rank, but… well I'll make sure
everyone accepts it. It'll be easier since you have Master Catherine's recommendation,
along with my own. That, and your newfound reputation as 'The Goddess' Knight.'"
Along with all of that, Ilwa also allowed them to stay at the VIP room in the guildmanaged inn for as long as they were staying in Fuhren. Furthermore, he provided
them a letter bearing his personal crest. He was serious about maintaining a friendly
relationship with Hajime and his party.
"Thanks a lot. The more cards we have to play, the better. Looks like it was worth
racing all the way out to Ur after all."
"I'm glad you don't regret it. However, I'm sure you're aware those two girls' identities
will be discovered eventually, even if they don't show people their status plates.
Though I have pledged my support, in all honesty, it's like trying to block a fireball
with a piece of paper…" Ilwa scratched his cheek and smiled bitterly. Hajime brought
his teacup to his mouth and shrugged his shoulders.
"A piece of paper can be a good shield if you use it right. My job's Synergist, you know?
My duty is to make sure anything that can be useful is made useful. Don't worry, I'll
make good use of your support."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Besides, remember what you said when you asked me to take this request?"
"What?" Ilwa tilted his head in confusion. Hajime grinned wolfishly and repeated the
words Ilwa had told him a few days ago.
"I was prepared for a confrontation from the start."
"I see. I did say something to that effect." Whether Hajime had Ilwa's help or not was
irrelevant. Having it would make things a little easier in the future, but he wouldn't be
stopped regardless. His pupils glimmered, his smile promising ruin to anything or
anyone that dared stand in his way.
Ilwa couldn't help but smile when he saw Hajime's determination, and the resolve his
companions had to follow him down that path. His spirits soared. He suddenly
remembered the time he was a young boy, when he had given it his all to work his way
up to branch chief.
He had a premonition. These four who dared to stand up against the Holy Church
would be the ones to change the world.
It wasn't that he hated the current status quo. He was on the side of the haves, not the
have-nots, after all. He was a human living an honest life in this world. If anything, he
should have wished for the world to stay as it was.
But the reason he couldn't help but feel excitement, and possibly a little fear, at the
prospect was because he, Ilwa Chang, was part of the adventurer's guild.
"I pray your travels turn into the most wonderful adventure and bring the most
trouble this world has ever seen."
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say thanks to that or not." Even Hajime wasn't sure
how to interpret Ilwa's heartfelt words. But well, it's very much like him, he thought
with a wry smile. Yue, Shea, and Tio all turned to each other with bemused looks on
their faces.
Seeing their expressions, Ilwa laughed. He hadn't laughed like this in years. For so long
he'd just been busy with the work of managing the guild, but things were finally going
to change.
After they parted ways with Ilwa, Hajime and the others went to the guild-managed
inn in the center of the city. It was a massive, twenty-story building, and their room
was situated at the top floor. They had an unobstructed view of the tourist quarter.
The room they'd been given was magnificent as well. There was a wide living room, as
well as four separate bedrooms, each furnished with a massive canopy bed. Both the
sofas and the rug were soft and fluffy, and they could tell at a glance every piece of
furniture was high-class.
Hajime and Yue sank into the couch, while Shea and Tio excitedly explored their new
living quarters. A few minutes after their arrival, Will came to visit along with his
parents, Count Greil Cudeta and Countess Saria Cudeta. Unlike the nobles Hajime had
seen at the palace, Greil and Saria were very agreeable people. He could see how Will
had turned out into such a nice person. Greil insisted on thanking Hajime and offered
him gold and invitations to his manor, but Hajime wasn't interested.
"Kind sir, I'm truly glad I was able to return your son to you alive. But as for a reward,
the guild has already paid me. They requested this mission, and I completed it, so the
matter of payment's been settled." He was being surprisingly polite to Will's parents.
It was so out of character for him that Shea started yelling for a medic, while Tio hid
under her bed screaming, "I do not like this! Master's gone mad!" Needless to say, the
Cudeta couple found their behavior rather odd.
"Excuse me a moment," Hajime said to the bewildered Cudetas. He picked up Shea and
Tio, then flung them out the window, saying "Go play outside for a bit," in a forcibly
cheery voice. In case anyone had forgotten, they were on the top floor of a twentystory building.
The Cudetas paled as they heard Shea and Tio scream all the way down. However,
Hajime just slammed the window shut, turned to the couple with a smile, and said
"Cheery kids, aren't they?" They nodded vigorously.
Hajime had seen no reason to antagonize people as nice as them, so he'd acted more
politely than usual. However, his conduct must have been too much of a shock for Shea
and Tio, and they'd broke.
Exasperated, Yue muttered "I'll go get them," and leaped out of the window as well.
The Cudetas turned to look at their son, their heads creaking like a badly oiled
machine.
Will was rubbing the goosebumps on his arm, glaring angrily at Hajime all the while.
He'd guessed what Hajime was trying to do, and what he was hoping to get out of it.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't refuse your feelings, Count."
"Huh? O-Oh, yes…" Still shocked at the recent chain of events, Greil peeled his eyes
away from his son and turned to Hajime. Grinning, Hajime requested the same things
he'd requested from Ilwa.
"So basically, if it ever happens that we need to turn to you for aid, I hope you'll be
willing to give it."
"I-Is that really all? I heard you risked life and limb to rescue my son from a dragon's
breath. Surely, there must be more you want. By the way, didn't one of your comrades
just leap from the window—"
"Well… I'd say I'm asking for a lot, actually. It's possible you might be put in a very
dangerous position for helping us. If anything, I may be asking for too much."
"Hahaha, I suppose that's true. In that case, I won't promise unconditional support,
but I will do everything I can if you ever come to me for help. Anyway, if I may be blunt,
didn't you just throw two of your companions out of the window—"
"Thank you very much, Count. Your help is much appreciated." Hajime continued to
ignore Greil's question. He did it so casually that the Cudetas started doubting whether
they'd really seen him throw his friends out the window. Finally, they finished
processing everything and realized the truth of the situation, thinking Wait a second,
didn't we just see a murder occur right before our eyes? His companions must be a
splatter on the ground now, right!? However, before they could do anything more than
shudder—
"Uuu, that was mean, Hajime-san. Just because it won't kill me doesn't mean it wasn't
scary."
"U-Unbelievable. To be thrown so unceremoniously out of a window… This was the
first time I have ever experienced such a thing. I must say, it was rather exciting."
"Shut up, pervert." A white hand latched onto the window, and Tio and Shea's heads
popped up below the window sill. Their bangs covered their expressions. Yue was
floating behind them, but with how terrifying Shea and Tio looked, no one had eyes
for her.
Saria let out a high-pitched scream and fell unconscious to the floor.
"Mom!" Will cried out, clearly worried for his mother's safety. Hajime suddenly
remembered Will had a big enough Oedipus complex that he carried a locket with a
picture of his mother in it everywhere. Will had been even faster to react than his
father.
"By the way, Hajime-san. Why did you start talking all creepy like that… It gave me
goosebumps."
"Indeed. Even I was repulsed. Master, if something is worrying you, I would—"
Hajime glared angrily at them. He'd had a very good reason for acting nice, and they
had both ruined it with their inability to take a hint. And of all people, Tio had no right
to call him repulsive.
Greil opened his mouth to express his amazement at their survival.
"Y-You two, you were all—"
Bang! Bang! Two gunshots resounded through the room.
"Bwah!" "Thank you very much!" With those two words, Shea and Tio fell from the
window once more.
"I apologize for my comrades' rudeness."
"Oh, not at all. At any rate, my wife seems to be a little tired, so we shall take our leave."
Sweating profusely, Greil picked up his wife and made to leave. Will looked up at his
father and smiled awkwardly, as if he'd expected this outcome, then addressed Hajime.
"Really, thank you for saving me. I hope we meet again." With those parting words he
turned on his heel and left.
Hajime watched Greil scuttle to the door like a rabbit afraid of being pounced on by
the lion standing right behind it. As Greil opened the door, Hajime said one last thing.
"Thank you for coming all the way to see me. As for my reward… Well, I hope you won't
disappoint."
"I-I won't, I swear it!" Greil squeaked that out through chattering teeth. The dignity of
a noble was nowhere to be seen. Will just let out a sad sigh, bowed his head, and closed
the door behind him.
Hajime lapsed into thought. He had tried his best to appear pleasant, humble, and
leave a good impression on the count. He'd wanted to convince him amicably to pledge
his support to Hajime's cause, and yet it had somehow ended up looking like he'd
threatened him into doing it. The poor man had left looking like the victim of some
unspeakable crime.
"I don't get it. Why'd it end up like this…"
"Have you heard the saying, you reap what you sow?" Yue's words were surprisingly
harsh.
After the Cudeta family had left, Hajime had collapsed back into the sofa and sighed
heavily. His head was resting in Yue's lap like usual, Shea was sitting by his feet, and
Tio was still exploring their room. She examined each piece of furniture thoroughly,
occasionally letting out a gasp of admiration, other times tilting her head in confusion.
Hajime guessed she was examining how different it was from things in her home.
"Anyway, let's rest for today. We've gotta restock on supplies tomorrow." Hajime lazily
closed his eyes as Yue stroked his hair. However, Shea objected to Hajime's plans. She
grabbed Hajime's leg and started shaking him.
"Wait, Hajime-san. You promised…"
"Oh yeah, I did say I'd take you around the tourist quarter." As a reward for saving
Aiko's life, Hajime had promised to take Shea around the tourists' quarter for a day.
Shea looked at Hajime expectantly. However, he hesitated. They still had to get a lot of
shopping done too. It was then that Yue came to the rescue. She cupped Hajime's
cheeks and looked down at him gently.
"Tio and I will do the shopping. You go with Shea."
"Are you fine with that?"
"Yeah… but in return…"
"What?" Yue knew how much Shea was looking forward to her date, so she wanted to
make sure it happened. Really, she was more like a big sister than a friend to Shea.
Hajime looked up at Yue with a complicated expression on his face. Her expression
transformed from gentle to predatory, and she licked her lips. She brought her lips
close to Hajime's ear and whispered softly.
"Spend tonight with me."
"Okay," Hajime replied, sounding just like Yue. He instantly gave in. He, who had the
confidence to beat even labyrinth guardians, didn't think he would ever be able to win
against Yue.
"…And there they go, flirting again. Yue-san's really good at this."
"Hmm… I must say, it is quite impressive how you refuse to back down even after
seeing that, Shea. I am satisfied as long as Master doles out punishment regularly,
but… it must be difficult for you." Shea watched Yue with admiration. Tio was
impressed with how Shea didn't seem to be jealous of Yue. Their relationship had
piqued Tio's interests. A while later Yue and Hajime came back to reality, and the four
of them chatted idly for a few hours until it was time for bed.
Late that night, around the time the moon was nearing its zenith, two figures were
stealthily creeping their way across the terrace of the top floor of the adventurers
guild's inn. They were covered from head to toe in black, like assassins, snuffing out
their presence and furtively looked into the window of a certain room.
Upon looking inside, they saw…
"Fwah, look at that, Tio-san! They're being so rough… Won't Yue-san break if Hajimesan's that rough?"
"Fwooooh! Master is indeed being rough! B-But look, Shea. That expression of Yue's…
it is far too stimulating! Even a woman such as myself feels tempted to…"
"Hawawa, you're right. That look of pure ecstasy really is something! Yue-san looks
really happy. I'm so jealous~"
"Nnngh… I had thought being tormented was enough for me, but… that does look nice."
A few minutes later, the two of them were discovered by Hajime and subjected to his
usual punishments.
"Hmhmhm… Hmhmhm! The weather's great… It's a perfect day for a date!" Shea was
happily skipping down the main street of Fuhren.
She was wearing a white one-piece dress today, instead of her usual adventuring
outfit. It was a wonder the thin shoulder straps managed to hold up her massive bust
as she walked. She was wearing a small black belt around her waist, which further
accentuated her figure, the loosely tied belt emphasized her perfect waistline, and her
bare legs drew about as many stares from the surrounding men as her massive
knockers did.
However, most charming of all was her radiant smile. Her cheeks were flushed and joy
was overflowing from her every pore. The fact that she was a beastman, and that she
was wearing a slave collar, albeit a very pretty one, didn't matter at all to the onlookers.
They were all utterly entranced by Shea.
Hajime was walking behind her, his demeanor more at ease than it normally was.
Shea kept excitedly bounding ahead a few steps and then turning around to wait for
him with a smile. Honestly, even Hajime couldn't help but smile when he saw how
happy she was.
"You don't need to run that fast, Shea. What if you trip?"
"Fufufu, as if I would do that~ I've been trained by Yue-san, there's no way I'd—" Her
foot caught on something and she tipped backward before she could finish her
sentence. Hajime rushed forward and caught her before she fell. He doubted falling
would actually hurt her with her strengthened body, but he wanted to be safe since
she was wearing a dress. He wasn't going to let any of the onlookers "accidentally" cop
a feel as they pretended to fall on top of her.
"Sh-Shorry."
"Hey, I know you're excited, but don't run off ahead." Shea shrank back in
embarrassment. She timidly grabbed his sleeve and matched his pace with small,
quick steps. Quite a few of the onlookers fainted at the sight of her blushing cutely as
she walked with Hajime. Most of the knockouts were caused by their lovers punching
their lights out, though.
They made their way to the tourists' district, attracting attention along the way.
The district was filled with entertainment facilities of all kinds. There was a theater,
numerous street performances, a circus, an opera house, aquariums, an arena, a
gaming hall, numerous sightseeing platforms, multiple botanical gardens, and various
plazas and towers to explore.
"Hajime-san, Hajime-san! Let's go to the Meerstadt first! I've never seen living sea
creatures before!" Her bunny ears twitched impatiently as she gestured to the
guidebook in her hand. As she'd lived her entire life in the Haltina Woods, it wasn't too
surprising that she'd never seen the sea or the animals that lived within it. That was
why the first thing that had caught her eye was Fuhren's most famous aquarium.
There had been lakes and rivers in the forest, so she had seen aquatic life before, but
freshwater fish and saltwater fish had a completely different feel to them, even if they
looked similar.
Fish are fish, aren't they? It's not like they're any different… But Hajime saw the
excitement on Shea's face and kept his thoughts to himself. Today, at least, he would
be nice to her.
"Huh, I'm kinda surprised they have marine fish this far inland… They really go all-out
to attract customers. It must be tough transporting and feeding them." Hajime's
interest in the aquarium was in perhaps the wrong direction, but he saw no reason to
refuse, so they decided to go there. Shea happily grabbed Hajime's hand and pulled
him along to the aquarium. Her ears and tail were jumping for joy.
Along the way they passed by street players performing extraordinary feats of
acrobatics that tested the limits of human flexibility. They watched as they walked,
until finally they arrived at the massive Meerstadt Aquarium. The building was
painted an ocean-blue and filled with people.
Hajime marveled at how the inside resembled the aquariums back on earth. The only
difference was that the tanks were covered in thick glass and a lattice of steel support
beams, making it a bit harder to see inside. Unlike Earth, Tortus had yet to develop
thin glass sturdy enough to handle the water pressure.
With nothing to compare it to, Shea didn't mind at all. Her eyes glowed as she watched
all the creatures swim by. She pointed at them one after another and chattered
excitedly to Hajime
Her mannerisms were the same as the little girl next to them who'd come along with
her family. For a second, Hajime's eyes met with those of the girl's father. For some
reason, the man's warm gaze made Hajime embarrassed and he quickly dragged Shea
somewhere else. Though she was surprised by their sudden departure, she was glad
Hajime was holding her hand. She squeezed back.
They spent an hour wandering around the aquarium enjoying themselves, but as they
were passing by another row of tanks, Shea suddenly did a double take.
One of the tanks was holding… A fish with a human head. In fact, he looked just like
the human-faced fish from the game Seaman.
"Wh-Why is he here…" Shea stepped back with a shudder. The weird fish spotted Shea
and swam over to the edge of the tank, a bored expression on its face. Shea felt a
sudden surge of unease. Hajime ignored the two of them and went over to the plaque
next to the tank.
"Let's see here… Oh, it can talk?" According to the blurb, the fishmen were an aquatic
race of monsters whose unique magic was Telepathy. Thanks to that, they could talk
to people. So far they were the only recorded monster race to have made peace with
mankind.
However, it seemed that they found talking a pain and rarely used their ability. Even
when they did, their replies tended to be lazy and lifeless. The plaque warned that
people who did talk to them tended to feel listless themselves and to approach it with
caution.
They loved alcohol though, and would become rather talkative if given some. But even
then they would simply launch into a long-winded lecture so actually conversing with
one was very difficult… Their nickname was "office drone."
Hajime wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and turned to Shea and the fishman. He
couldn't tell if they were staring at each other or glaring at each other. With a hint of
trepidation, he tried talking to it. Since they apparently didn't respond often to regular
conversation, he tried using Telepathy.
"You can use Telepathy, right? Can you really talk? Do you understand what I'm
saying?" The seaman blinked once. It tore its gaze away from Shea and slowly turned
to face him. Shea smiled triumphantly, as if she'd just won a contest.
"Tch, this is our first meeting, isn't it, boy? It's only polite to tell someone your name
first. Sheesh, this is why kids these days are…" A fish with an old man's face had just
lectured Hajime on manners. He couldn't believe it. His mouth twitched at the corners
a little and he tried again.
"Sorry about that. I'm Hajime. So, you really can talk, huh? What kind of creature are
you guys?"
"My dear boy, what kind of creatures are humans? If I asked you that right now would
you be able to answer? You wouldn't, right? All I can say is I'm me. Nothing more,
nothing less. I can't say I have a name either, so just address me however you wish."
Hajime floundered for a bit. Not only had the fishman's response made complete
sense, he'd started sounding really cool too. He hadn't expected a fish monster to be
this intelligent. Didn't the plaque say their answers are always lazy and lifeless? Hajime
suddenly felt like suing whoever had written that. He quickly averted his gaze, so this
time it was the seaman who asked him a question.
"I'd like to ask you something, too. How is it you can use Telepathy? You certainly aren't
using any magic humans are capable of… It's almost like you're the same as me, as us
monsters." It was a pretty reasonable question. After all, here was a human using the
special magic Telepathy. It was only natural for the fishman to wonder how Hajime
could do something only monsters were supposed to be able to do. The reason he'd
answered Hajime's questions seriously was because he'd been curious himself.
Hajime cleared his throat to give himself a second to think. He explained that he'd
eaten a monster that could use Telepathy and absorbed its powers.
"I see. You've faced a great deal of hardship despite your youth. Very well, if there's
anything you'd like to ask this old man, go ahead. I'll tell you anything you want." He
was being pitied by a fish. It looked like the fishman had misunderstood and thought
Hajime had been so poor that he'd been forced to eat monster meat to survive. It wiped
a tear with its fin. Judging by the clothes Hajime was wearing now, it was obvious he
had worked hard to escape his impoverished situation. Truly, it was a tale touching
enough to make an old man cry.
Since he wasn't that far off the mark, Hajime didn't bother to correct him. Hajime
certainly had faced a lot of hardship. Though it was still a bit of a shock that his life so
far had been so bad that even a fish pitied him.
He shakily pulled himself together and asked whatever came to mind. Whether or not
monsters possessed their own wills, how they were born, whether there were any
other monsters people could come to an understanding with, and so on.
According to the fishman, most monsters acted purely on instinct and had no wills of
their own. Aside from his race, it was unlikely that there could ever be understanding
with monsters and humans. Also, it seemed even he didn't know how monsters were
born.
They spent a long time discussing various topics of interest. To a bystander it looked
like a boy and a fish with an old man's face were just staring at each other. The surreal
sight started attracting attention, so people came to watch.
"Umm, Hajime-san, people are staring at us. Also, you're on a date with me, so how
come you're staring at that old fishman? The person you're supposed to be looking at
is me." Shea's rabbit ears pressed flat against her head and she shyly tugged at
Hajime's sleeve. He reluctantly cut his conversation short and turned to Shea. His
obvious reluctance made Shea even more depressed.
Honestly, Hajime had been hoping to talk some more with the fishman, but he had
promised to spend today on a date with Shea, and he didn't take his promises lightly.
"Oh my, I didn't realize I was interrupting your date. My apologies for getting in the
way of you youngsters." The fishman didn't seem to mind stopping their conversation
there either. What an understanding old man…
Sometime during their conversation they'd started calling each other by the
nicknames Fish-san and Young Haj. Hajime could tell this fishman was a man among
men.
Before they parted ways, Hajime asked what he was doing here in this aquarium. The
answer he received was rather surprising.
"Well, like I said before, I was traveling the world… when suddenly the underground
river I was swimming in got blasted to the surface. Before I knew it, I'd been thrown
out of the fountain and into the grass. I won't die on land, but I can't really move either.
I used my Telepathy to call for help and… Well, I ended up getting taken here." Cold
sweat poured down Hajime's forehead. It was obvious from his description that the
fishman was talking about the time Hajime and the others had been forced out of
Miledi Reisen's labyrinth.
The poor fish had been caught up in the stream and thrown on land. Technically, that
was Miledi's fault, but that didn't change the fact that Hajime had something to do with
his current plight.
Hajime awkwardly asked the seaman the foremost thing on his mind.
"Uh, Fish-san, do you want to escape from here?"
"Of course I do. Wanderlust is in my blood. And it's my belief that living things should
be born in nature and die in nature. When I die, I want it to be out in the open sea, not
this metal cage." His words were filled with longing. Hajime had taken quite a liking to
the fishman, and it was partly his fault he was stuck in this cage, so he decided to save
him.
"Fish-san. If you want, I can let you go in a nearby river. I think it might be partly our
fault you're stuck here in the first place. I'll get you out in a couple of minutes. Are you
willing to put your trust in me?"
"Young Haj… Heh, never thought I'd have a youngster worrying about little old me.
Dunno what you've got planned, but I ain't so senile that I'd mistrust a strapping young
lad like yourself. I believe in you, Young Haj."
The two of them shared a smile.
"Huh? Could it be I have a rival in love?" Shea muttered that to herself as she watched
the two of them stare at each other.
Hajime then turned on his heel and dragged Shea along. Shea had no idea what was
going on, but followed Hajime obediently. As they were about to leave, the fishman
reached out to Shea via Telepathy.
"Sorry for surprising you back then, Missy. Don't ever let go of that hand you're
holding, you hear?"
"Huh? What? Umm, I don't mind at all! Actually, it was thanks to that I was able to
share my first kiss with Hajime-san! Also, I'll never let go!" She responded as best as
she could. The fishman smiled in satisfaction. Meddlesome old fart, Hajime thought
affectionately. Hajime wished the first "male" friend he'd made since coming to this
world well and left the aquarium.
A few minutes later, one of his cross bits started rampaging around the aquarium and
destroyed the seaman's tank. As he fell out, he landed neatly in the cage Hajime had
attached to the cross bit. The cross bit blasted through the aquarium staff that came
after the fishman without hurting them, blew through the aquarium wall, and flew off
into the sky.
The incident caused such a stir within the city that eventually Fuhren's leaders got
involved as well. No one could tell whether it had been a new monster, or some hidden
power of the fishman's… but none of that had anything to do with Hajime.
Around the same time, Yue and Tio were walking around the commercial district
doing their shopping. Hajime had stockpiled large quantities of resources in his
Treasure Trove already, so they were mostly just topping up on supplies a little bit.
Thanks to that, they didn't have to scramble to buy up as much food as possible, and
they could take their time window shopping as they walked down the business
district.
"Hmm. I have to ask, Yue. Are you truly alright with this?"
"Hm…? You mean Shea?"
"Indeed. It's possible their relationship may have progressed far more than you
anticipated on this date." Yue turned back from the clothes she was examining. The
curiosity was rather evident in Tio's voice. "Are you sure you should be taking it so
easy? She might usurp your position, you know?" was the unsaid implication in her
question.
Tio had joined only recently, and the strange relationship between Shea, Yue, and
Hajime was something that intrigued her greatly. Seeing as they'd be traveling
together from now on, she decided not to beat around the bush and just ask about it.
However, Yue didn't seem shaken at all. She glanced at Tio's expression and shrugged
her shoulders. She evidently wasn't worried at all.
"I'd be happy if it has."
"Happy? Do you mean to tell me you would not mind the man you love getting intimate
with another girl?"
"She's not just another girl. It's only because it's Shea." Yue went back to windowshopping as she responded.
"At first she was all over Hajime. It was annoying seeing her try to seduce him so
brazenly. But after being with her for so long, I understand."
"Understand what?"
"…Hm. That that girl is always serious. She's always doing her best. Both for the things
she holds dear, and for the people she loves. For better or worse, she always charges
straight ahead."
"I see. After watching her, I can certainly understand that. So what, you were moved
by her sincerity?" Tio had only been with the group a short time, but even she smiled
as she thought back on Shea's antics. Despite the suffering she'd endured because she
was born different, she never stopped smiling. The always cheerful bunny girl
naturally put smiles on everyone else's face.
Due to her youth, she still made a lot of mistakes and had a lot of flaws, but even Tio
was charmed by how she always tried her hardest. However, that seemed too flimsy
an excuse for Yue to let her one and only lover on a date with another girl. And so, Tio
felt the need to confirm whether that was really the only reason Yue had allowed it.
"That's half of the reason."
"Half, you say? Then what was the other half?"
Yue's lips curled up into a smile, something rare for her.
"Shea loves me too. About as much as she loves Hajime. Perhaps in a different way, but
still the same amount. Don't you think that's cute?"
"I understand now. That girl needs both you and Master. Not many would be willing
to deny such a pure request. I suppose that sincerity is one of her virtues. I see… Well,
now I understand the depths of your feelings for Shea. But what about Master? Are
you not worried she might steal his heart away? Surely you know better than anyone
how alluring she can be." Yue shrugged her shoulders, as if such a thing was
impossible. Her smile suddenly turned seductive. She closed her eyes and licked her
lips, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.
The aura of mature sexiness that surrounded her was at odds with her small body.
Men and women alike turned to stare at her. Thanks to that there were a few collisions
as pedestrians ran into each other. Yue's charm was enough to overshadow even Tio,
who had curves in all the right places. Tio suddenly recalled the sight she had
witnessed last night, and shuddered.
Unaware of the carnage she was causing, or perhaps aware and simply ignoring it, Yue
replied.
"I want Hajime to have more people who are important to him. But… I'm the only one
who will be special to him. If anyone thinks they can take that position, they're
welcome to try. I'll take on any challenge, from anyone, at any time, in any place."
"Try it if you dare," Yue's smile seemed to say. Because she was usually so inexpressive,
the impact was multiplied. Tio took an involuntary step backward. Realizing just how
much Yue's smile had scared her, she smiled bitterly and raised her hands in
surrender.
"Do not worry… I have no intention of picking a fight with you. So long as Master
continues to debase me, I am content."
"Pervert." However, Yue's disgusted tone only made Tio happier.
Yue understood that Tio's initial question had stemmed for a desire to get to know
them all better, which was why despite her exasperation with Tio's perverted
behavior, Yue knew she would get along just fine with everyone.
The two of them grew a little closer thanks to that exchange, and they continued
walking amicably down the street together.
"Guh!"
"Pugyaaa!"
A nearby wall was blown to pieces, and two men came hurtling out of the hole. The
two of them screamed as they skid across the ground. They came to a stop a few
meters from the wall. Neither of them were even twitching. They looked like corpses…
In fact, they were corpses now.
The window of the same building shattered, and a few more men came whizzing out
of it like pinballs. Sounds of destruction could be heard coming from inside the
building. Every few seconds it would shake, and more cracks would appear on the
walls.
A couple dozen more men were flung out of the building, their limbs splayed out at
unnatural angles as they landed. Some of them were in too hideous a state to
accurately describe. Finally, the building could take no more, and it collapsed with a
loud boom.
Screaming, the onlookers fled as fast as their feet would take them. Yue and Tio
recognized a familiar presence and looked over at the rubble with a sigh.
"Ah, so it was you two after all…"
"Huh? Yue-san and Tio-san? What are you doing here?"
"That's my line. This is a bit much for a date."
"Indeed. So, Master, what kind of trouble did you get yourself wrapped up in this
time?" As they had expected, Shea and Hajime emerged from the ruins of what had
until recently been a building. The two of them were still dressed the same way they'd
been when they'd left for the date, their weapons sitting comfortably in their hands. It
was quite a surreal sight, a bunny girl in a cute one piece dress holding a warhammer
over her shoulder.
"Ahaha, I didn't think our date would go like this either, but… Well, one thing led to
another and we ended up destroying an underground slavery ring."
"How did things lead to you fighting a slavery ring?" Yue sighed again. Shea smiled
weakly. Tio looked over at Hajime, silently demanding an explanation.
"Well, I'm glad we ran into you guys. We're short on hands. I'll explain everything on
the way, so mind helping out?" Hajime holstered Donner and started flinging the
unconscious men on top of the rubble heap. He didn't want them blocking the streets.
He didn't even look at them as he threw them, and began explaining what had
happened.
They'd gone for lunch after the aquarium. Once they'd finished eating they'd decided
to walk through some of the botanical gardens and maybe see some street performers.
Shea's hands were full of the various food she'd bought from different stalls. At the
time she'd been devouring a vanilla ice cream bar…
"You sure can eat… Is it really that good?"
"Haumf… Yes! It's delicious. Fuhren's amazing. Even the food stalls have food this
good."
"If you eat too much, you'll get fat."
"Hajime-san, that's the one thing you can't say to a girl." Shea stopped eating for a
second, but then muttered something lightly.
"I'll exercise later… and cut down a bit tomorrow…" Then, she resumed her quest to
eat through every sweet Fuhren had to offer. Hajime smiled as he watched her chow
down. However, suddenly, his expression transformed into one of confusion, and he
looked down at his feet.
Shea cocked her head quizzically at him.
"What's wrong, Hajime-san?"
"Hm? Oh, my Sense Perception just went off…"
"Why were you even using that skill?"
"It's good training, and I usually use it constantly."
"Okay? But what's so special about sensing someone? There's people everywhere
right now…" Shea gestured around her.
"That's not exactly what I mean… I sensed someone below us."
"Below? Aren't the sewers below us? Maybe someone's doing some work on them
right now?"
"I wouldn't have paid any attention if it was just that. But this presence is really small.
Plus, it feels weak… I think it's a kid. A really hurt kid."
"Wha—!? Th-That's terrible! What if they accidentally fell in and are being swept away
by the water!? Hajime-san, let's chase after them! Where'd you sense them?" Once
Hajime told her the direction, Shea dashed off.
Hajime had been trying to live a life that in Aiko's terms was "less lonely," but in the
end it was still Shea who acted first. He couldn't help but smile wryly to himself. Her
cheerful and straightforward attitude had started rubbing off on him a little, or so it
seemed.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone